Boltless casing



R. L. MEYERS BoLTLEss GAslNs Sept. .1," 1931.

Filed Dec. 7. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z n M n n,

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R. L. MEYERS BOLTLESS CASING Sept. 1, 1931.

Filed Deo.

l-latenteol Sept. l, 193

Ultll''@ STATES ROY MFYERS, F JANESVELLE, WISCONSN BOLTLESS CASING i Application filed December 7, 1928.A Serial No. 324,415.

This invention relates to improvements in boltless casings, and more particularly to boltless sheet metal casings for heaters, boilers, furnaces and the like.

i Sheet metal casings for heating apparatuses and the like are of a sectional construction and the assembly and the installation of the same was heretofore quite difficult and slow due to the fact that the various parts had to be securely bolted together and this work, for a single installation and assembly, required a number of workers.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal casing of a sectional construction which, when assembled, is securely held together without the use of any bolts or like means, due to interlocking joints between thD various parts, the time and labor required in the assembly of the casing being a great saving over that required for casings heretofore used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boltless sheet metal casing'which is very rigid and strong. p

A further object of the invention is to provide a boltless sheet metal casing which is simple both in construction and installation, is neat and attractive in appearance; is durable7 and is well adapted for the purposes described. A lith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved bolt'- less sheet metal casing, its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved boltless sheet metal casing as assembled; y y

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing the relationship of several of the casing parts for assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that the numeral 8 indicates the base member of the casing and said base member is formed of four sheet metal members, namely, a pair of base ends 97 and a pair of base sides 10. Each of said members 9 and 10 is U-shaped in cross-section with spaced apart horizontal upper and lower flanges 11 and 12 and a vertical wall 13. The end portions of the lower flanges 12 Vof sides 10 overlap the end portions of the lower flanges of the ends 9 and are cut angularly,`r as at 13. There are riveted to the end portions of the vertical walls 13 of the sides 10 inwardly extending hook members 14 having angular end portions of doubled-over hook formation 14. Complementary angular hook members 14 are riveted to the end portions of the vertical walls 13 of the endsv 9. In the assembly of the base members the base ends 9 are positioned apart a proper distanceand parallel and theneach side 10 is lowered to permitl each adjacent hook portion 14 to be received. within the doubled-over hook portion 14', the engagement ultimately being as clearly shown in Fig.` 5.

The side walls 15 and end walls 16 of the casing are held in position by four vertical corner posts 17. VEach corner post is of angular shape and .the metal is folded against the inner surfaces of its flanges to form vertical grooves 18 and inner flanges 19, saidy grooves and flanges terminating short of the upper and lower ends of the post. The end edges of the walls 15 and 1G are tightly received by the grooves 18 of a pair of posts 17'as clearly shown in Fig. 4. f

lt should be observed that the inner edges of the upper horizontal portion 11 of the base members 9 and 1() are formed with struck upwalls 20 folded so as to form grooves 21. The lower portions of the posts 17 are mounted so that their outer flanges are outwardly of the walls 20, while their inner flanges 19 enter the grooves 21, as

2 Les in Fig. 2. Also, the lower edges of the Walls 15 and 16 enter said grooves 21 and are engaged thereby.

Jldapted for mountino` on the upper edge portions of the walls 1o and 16 are a pair of upper end strips 22 and a pair of upper side strips 28. Each of said strips is formed as shown in detail in Fig. 6 of three folded over layers to provide an outer upturned groove 24 and an inner downturned groove 25. rEhe members 22 are fitted on the upper edges of the walls 15 and the members 23 are fitted on the upper edges of the walls 16. 1n each instance the upper edges of the walls enter the inner downturned grooves 25, as in Figs. 2 and 3.

The top of the casing is closed by means of a hood member 26 formed around its lower periphery with down-turned flanges 27 which flanges are separated from each other` at their adjacent end portions by slits 28. Then the hood member is mounted on the casing said flanges 27 are snugly received by the upturned outer grooves 24 of the members 22 and 23.

In the assembly of the improved sheet metal boltless casing the base member 8 is first assembled by connecting together the base side members 10 and end members 9 as previously described. Next, the ends 16 are slipped into the 'grooves 21 of the ends and then the four angular corner posts 17 are mounted. rlhe lower portions of he outer flanges of these members exteriorly overlap the portions 2O of the base members, thereby binding the corners, and the side edges of the ends 16 are engaged by the grooves 18 of the posts. To permit the insertion of the sides 15, the corner posts and ends 16 are tilted slightly outwardly and the lower edges of the sides are inserted in the grooves 21 of the base member. Then the corner posts are straightened by hand to engage the side edges of the sides in the adjacent grooves 18 of said posts. The upper portions of the casing are then bound together by the mounting of the upper strips 22 and 23, after which the hood is positioned with the lower edges of its portions 27 within the grooves 24 of the members 22 and 23, whereby the assembly of the casing is completed.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the assembled sheet metal casing is very strong and rigid and that not a single bolt or similar means is utilized. ln addition, the assembly is accomplished comparatively easily and rapidly. Also, the casing'is of simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

lll/*hat l claim as my invention is:

1. A boltless, sheet metal casing, comprising a plurality of base, body and top sections, the adjacent portions of said sections having interlocking tongue and slot joint connections with one another whereby said sections are connected together and -serve to support and lock each other in position to' form a rigid unitary structure, said inten locking tongue and slot joint connections between adjacent portions of said sections beving the sole means of connection between said section portions.

2. A casing, comprising a base member formed of four sections, there being tongue and slot engagements between the adjacent end portions of said sections, the upper edge portions of said sections being formed with elongated grooves, a sectional body member received at its lower edge portions by said grooves, there being tongue and slot engagements between adjacent portions of said body member sections, and a hood member having tongue and slot connections with the upper portions of said body member.

A casing, comprising a base member composed of four elongated sections, each section being formed of sheet metal bent into a three-sided form with an upturned grooved flange, there being tongue and slot engagemei'its between the adjacent end portions of said sections, a sectional body member received at its lower edge portions by said. flange grooves, there being tongue and slot engagements between adjacent portions of said body member sections, and a hood member having tongue and slot connections with the upper portions of said body member.

4. A casing, comprising a sectional base member, the adjacent portions of the sections thereof having tongue and slot connections with each other, angular vertical corner posts having joint connections at.4

their lower end portions with the corner portions of said base member, each corner post being formed with outer right angular flanges and shorter inner right angular flanges with a pair of spaced vertical grooves being formed therebetween, end and side members having their side edges engaged by Said post grooves andy also having their lower edges engaged by the base member, and a hood member having oint connections with the upper edges of said ends and sides and with said posts.

5. A casing, comprising a sectionalbase member, the sections thereof having joint connections with one another, a sectional body member, the sections thereof having joint connections with one another and with the base member, a plurality of rails for the upper edge portions of said body member sections, each rail being formed with double folds with a pair of oppositely directed grooves formed between said folds, one set of grooves of said rails receiving the upper edge portions of the body member sections, andY a hood member having its loo regrese lower' edge portions received by the other set of grooves of said rails.

6. A boltless, sheet metal, sectional casing, comprising a base member composed 5 of four elongated sections, each section being formed of sheet metal bent into a threesided form with an npturned grooved flange, there being tongue and slot engagements between the adjacent end portions w of said sections, angular, sheet metal, vertical corner posts having joint connections at their lower end portions withv the corner portions of said base member, each corner post being formed with outer right angular l5 fianges and shorter inner right angular flanges with a pair of spaced vertical grooves being formed therebetween, sheet metal side members having their lower edges received by the base upturned grooves and havingr 53p, their side edges received by said post grooves,

a sheet metal rail for the upperedge portion of each side, each rail being 'formed with double folds with a pair of oppositely directed grooves formed between said folds, g.; one set o grooves of said rails receiving the upper edge portions of said sides, and a sheet metal hood having its lower edge portions received by the other set of grooves of said rails. :jo 7. A boltless, sheet metal casing, comprising a sectional base, a sectional body, and a sectional top, the adjacent portions of the sections of each unit having interlocking joint connections with each other and with adjacent portions of the sections of an adjacent unit, the top serving to secure the sections of the body in joined position, said interlocking joint connections being the sole means of connection between the sections o and adjacent parts. Y

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROY L. MEYERS. 

